Expansible tray



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EXPANS IBLE TRAY Filed June 17, 1932 INVENTOR Patented Oct. 9, 1934 EXPANSIBLE TRAY Grilbrtif D. Abel, Knoxville, Pa., assignor of onea to John J.

Mehl, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application .lune 17, 1932, Serial No. 617,884

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in a tray structure for use in internal combustion engines to prevent articles from dropping into the crank case through the opening provided for the cylinder Valves, and it is among the objects thereof to provide a tray structure which shall be adapted to nt into the openings provided in the side of the cylinder block and to be yieldingly retained therein by means inherent in the structure oi the tray.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an expansible tray for the purpose stated which shall be of simple and inexpensive construction and which shall be of light weight and constructed to be placed in the engine cavity above the opening leading to the crank case in intimate Contact with the walls of the opening to positively prevent access of foreign substances and the dropping of tools to the interior of the crank case structure.

The automotive engines of conventional form are provided with removable pans on the side of the crank case or cylinder block to render the interior of the valve mechanism accessible for renewal and repairs. Directly below the opening provided for this purpose is an opening leading to the crank case below the cylinder' block and it frequently occurs that tools, common grit, and other foreign elements drop through the opening into the crank case which necessitates the removal of the entire cylinder block or crank case to remove these elements.

By employing an expansible shelf of the type herein disclosed, the crank case opening can be properly protected without any laborious clamping or fitting oi the tray member.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts;

Figure l is a side elevational View diagrammatically illustrating an internal combustion engine having removable side plates;

Figure 2 a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1 illustrating the application of the expansible tray;

Figure 3 an exploded view of the tray element embodying the principles of this invention;

Figure 4 a detailed view of the tray;

Figure 5 a cross-sectional view of the tray elements;

Figure 6 a top plan View and Figure '7, an enlarged cross-sectional View or" a telescoping rod and tube member constituting a frame.

of the assembled tray;

(Cl. 12S-198) With reference to Figures 2 to 6 inclusive of the drawing, the structure therein illustrated comprises a tray element consisting oi two members designated by the reference characters l and 2, the member 1 being constructed of a rod 3 which is bent in rectangular form and which has two free ends as shown in Figure 3. The member 2 consists or" a Atubular member 4 which is bent to a rectangular form and the tube of which is of such diameter as to slidingly engage the extended rod members 3 o the member 1.

Disposed within the tubes 4 of the member 2 are a pair of helical springs 5 which constitute a yielding abutment for the end members 3 to permit extending them to permit compressing the two members 1 and 2 tor a purpose to be hereinafter stated.

The member 2 is provided with a cloth covering 6 which is sewed around the tubular frame as indicated by the seam 7, this cloth being preferably a heavy canvas but may be any other suitable material or wire screen.

Member 1 is also provided with a cloth cover 8 which is attached to the frame member 3 by the seam 9, and the ends of the cover 8 are provided with clips 10 which are riveted at 11 to protect the edge of the cloth from the cutting action of the edge of tube 4.

When the members 1 and 2 are assembled in the position shown in Figure 6 with the coil springs 5 disposed at the bottom of the tubular member 4, the springs are designed to normally urge the members 1 and 2 in a direction to separate the outwardly extended position in which the cloths 6 and 8 are taut.

In Figure l of the drawing, the reference character 12 generally designates an internal combustion engine, and 14 a plurality of side plates which are held by means of wing nuts 15. The plates 14 are removable to render the valve mechanisms, such as the tappet members, accessible for inspection and adjustment or for general renewal or repairs. The interior of the cylinder block is of substantially the cross section as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing in which the opening 16 is the opening normally closed by the cover plates 14.

The utility of the expansible tray as applied to automotive engines is to protect the crank case, a portion of which is shown at 1 7, from objects which might drop through the opening 18, and this is prevented by disposing the expansible tray within the hollow chamber oi the crank case in the manner shown in Figure 2.

In the drawing, the tray member 1 is illustrated as of a width to t diagonally across the opposite shoulder in the hollow interior of the crank case. It is, however, unnecessary to construct the trays the exact width since it is not required that they be held in place by the rod 3 other than at the extended ends of the pan. In other words, if the pan is of greater width than that shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, it may be placed in the cavity by resting one side of the rod 3 in the upper shoulder as shown in the drawing and permitting the lower portion to rest on the ledge of the opening instead of in the corner thereof as shown in the drawing. When the tray is placed in the cavity, it is collapsed by compressing the coil springs 5. This is accomplished by merely bringing pressure against the ends of the tray after it is assembled in the manner shown in Figure 6, and by pressing on the ends, the rod 3 will slide in the tubular members 4 displacing the springs, and the cloth 8 stretched across the member 1 will fold itself to permit contraction of the members. After the tray is disposed in the cavity of the engine, the pressure on the ends is released and coil springs 5 will extend the tray until the ends will engage the housing walls or partition walls of the engine, and the tension of the coil springs 5 will firmly hold the trays in their xed position in the engine cavity thereby covering the openings 18 to prevent any substance or tools from owing into the crank case chamber 17.

It is evident from the foregoing description of this invention that expansible trays of the character described therein are especially adapted to function as closures for crank case openings in automotive engines for which purpose they may he applied with facilityand ease. It is' also apparent that the trays are relatively inexpensive and may be provided for each mechanics kit so as to prevent the necessity of stuffing the crank case openings with rags or waste that sometimes fall into the crank case.

I claim as my invention:

An expansible tray comprising a U-shaped frame of hollow construction having coil springs disposed therein and a U-shaped frame having a frame adapted to lt in the interior of the hollow member with the ends of said frame adapted to abut the coil springs disposed therein, flexible material stretched across said frame members and attached thereto, and means for enveloping the edge of said material, said means being slidable on one of said frame members to permit the material to fold when the frames are compressed.

GILBERT D. ABEL.

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